Gameday Post #2: Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays

The 2012 season did not start well for the Yankees as they fell to the Tampa Bay Rays in their first game, 7-6. CC Sabathia was not sharp in the beginning of the game, allowing five runs in the first three innings on home runs from Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria. Mariano Rivera uncharacteristically let the lead slip away in the bottom of the ninth, taking the blown save and loss. All was not bad, however. Raul Ibanez provided enough offense to line CC up for the win, knocking a three-run HR and driving in 4 runs overall. Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez and Brett Gardner each had multi-hit games as well.

Free-agent import Hiroki Kuroda will make his first start for the Bombers as he takes the hill in Tropicana Field against perennial Cy Young candidate David Price.

Hiroki Kuroda (NYY) — Kuroda will make his Yankees debut after signing a one-year, $10 million deal. The 37-year-old is coming off a campaign with the Dodgers in which he established career highs in wins, ERA, starts (32), innings (202) and strikeouts (161).

David Price (TB) — Price is one year removed from a second-place finish for the AL Cy Young Award. The left-hander went 12-13 with a 3.49 ERA in 2011, logging 224 1/3 innings. He is 4-2 with a 4.05 ERA in 13 career appearances against the Yankees.